It’s Monday afternoon and you are knee deep in paperwork. Your boss is pushing demanding deadlines on you and you are already feeling the stress. Here are 10 tips to help you relax at work. We know your time is precious at work so they all can be done in under five minutes.

Tips to Relax at Work

1. Eat Something Sweet

Take a break from your normal duties and have a snack. Dark chocolate regulates your stress hormone levels and will help you feel more relaxed in minutes. Also, try eating a nice, juicy mango or sipping some honey to help lower your stress levels.

2. Take Deep Breaths

Stop for a moment and focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths. This will help lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

3. Count Backwards

100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95… When you are trying to relax at work, mentally take yourself out of work by counting backwards from 100. This will allow you to focus on something other than your current duties for a short period of time .

4. Quick Massages

If you are in a job where you use your hands a lot, try giving your self a short hand massage. Put on some lotion and gently apply pressure below your thumbs to help relieve stress and calm a pounding heart. You can also try rubbing your foot back and forth on a golf ball to get a relaxing foot massage.

5. Brush Your Hair

You ladies know that there is something about brushing your hair that calms you. When you need to relax at work, pull a comb out of your purse and brush your hair for a few minutes. Enjoy the calming feeling of the bristles on your scalp while you are taking a break from your demanding responsibilities.

6. Listen to Your Favorite Song

Try not to embarrass yourself by singing out loud at work but put your headphones in and listen to your favorite song. This will make the work go quicker and you will feel more relaxed while doing it.

7. Use Cold Water

There are large arteries in your wrists and behind your ears. In effort to relax at work, take a bathroom break and sprinkle some cold water on your wrists and behind your ears. Doing this will calm your whole body.

8. Meditation

Use your five minutes wisely by utilizing meditation. Try staring out a window or finding a quiet spot at your workplace to sit and focus on your breathing. Meditation has shown positive correlations between lower stress and depression levels. Participate in five minutes of peaceful meditation and feel the stress melt away.

9. Get Organized

Clean up the papers lying around on your desk, take away any unnecessary items off your desk and wipe it down. Leave your desk looking clean and organized and you will feel the stress diminish as you work.

10. Exercise

If you have an area where you can exercise, use it! Spend five minutes running in place, dancing, doing yoga, or stretching. Exercise is proven to clear the mind.

During your work days, use our 10 tips to help you relax at work. If you feel you have more stress than normal or you have trouble coping with your stress visit your doctor.